Haycuber

ABSTRACT

The haycuber of the present invention comprises a frame including a pair of rectilinear support beams held in suitable, parallelly disposed, relationship by means of crossties; a hopper operable to collect and feed hay material to the haycuber, the hopper being mounted to the frame; and a bottomless gear assembly. The bottomless gear assembly includes an engine, suitably mounted on the frame, and haycubing dies. The dies include a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth suitably fastened about the circumference of a dish-like rim in spur gearlike fashion, and a hollow-centered ring fastened to the teeth, with its outer circumference disposed parallel to the rim. The dies are mounted suitaby, parallelly on shafts fastened respectively to the centers of the rims. The shafts are mounted on the frame on journal bearings. The engine is connected to one of the die shafts by drive means.

United States Patent Osborn 1 Jan. 7, 1975 HAYCUBER [76] Inventor: Glen E. Osborn, Star Rt., Box 265,

Moses Lake, Wash. 98837 [22] Filed: Feb. 29, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 230,218

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spicer, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmJohn W. Kraft [57] ABSTRACT The haycuber of the present invention comprises a frame including a pair of rectilinear support beams held in suitable, parallelly disposed, relationship by means of crossties; a hopper operable to collect and feed hay material to the haycuber, the hopper being mounted to the frame; and a bottomless gear assembly. The bottomless gear assembly includes an engine, suitably mounted on the frame, and haycubing dies. The dies include a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth suitably fastened about the circumference of a dish-like rim in spur gear-like fashion, and a hollowcentered ring fastened to the teeth, with its outer circumference disposed parallel to the rim. The dies are mounted suitaby, parallelly on shafts fastened respec tively to the centers of the rims. The shafts are mounted on the frame on journal bearings. The engine is connected to one of the die shafts by drive means.

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GLEN E. OSBORN PATENTED sum 2 or 4 1M o w Q 2 FIG.

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HAYCUBER FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to haycubers and, more particularly, to haycubers operable to continuously feed and cube hay material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART:

Haycubing employs the method of compressing a predetermined quantity of straw, alfalfa, and the like into a confined space to form a hay cube of a predetermined size and shape. This has been accomplished experimentally by means of various arrangements of rams and dies actuated by mechanical or hydraulic means. These arrangements of rams and dies have cubed hay by a method including the steps of feeding, compressing, and injecting hay material. Frequently, haycubing has required chopping long hay stems into shorter lengths to permit the rams and dies to pass freely within one another. Haycubing machinery has commonly been of a delicate sort, requiring precise mechanical arrangements and precise hay conditions. The mechanical arrangements have commonly necessitated installing the haycubing machinery in a fixed location. This further implies that hay must be transported from the field to the hay cubing machinery. Frequently, this machinery is inoperable to satisfactorily cube hay which is too dry or too wet.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide haycubing apparatus which is operable to compress hay into cubes in a continuous feeding and compressive operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide hay cubing apparatus operable to cube hay which may have long stems and which may vary in moisture content.

It is another object of this invention that the hay cubing apparatus be operable to be disposed on portable transporting means and be operable to cube hay in the field in which it is grown.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the description following, it being understood that modifications may be made without affecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

Generally, the haycuber of the present invention comprises a frame including a pair of rectilinear support beams held in suitable, parallelly disposed, relationship by means of crossties; a hopper operable to collect and feed hay material to the haycuber, the hopper being mounted to the frame; and a bottomless gear assembly. The bottomless gear assembly includes an engine, suitably mounted on the frame, and haycubing dies. The dies include a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth suitably fastened about the circumference of a dish-like rim in spur gear-like fashion, and a hollowcentered ring fastened to the teeth, with its outer circumference disposed parallel to the rim. The dies are mounted suitably, parallelly on shafts fastened respectively to the centers of the rims. The shafts are mounted on the frame on journal bearings. The engine is con- .nected to one of the die shafts by drive means.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the haycuber of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a haycubing die including assembly of this invention shown with one of the main supporting rings exploded away for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lines 3-3 of the FIG. 1 showing the interior configuration of the haycubing dies of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a typical gear tooth of this invention showing an ejector stub in broken lines for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a typical gear tooth of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a typical hay cube produced by the haycuber of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the present haycuber provided with wheels and propelling coupler means shown in broken lines.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the present haycuber having hay pickup means shown in broken lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to the FIG. 1, the haycuber of this invention is shown to advantage and generally identified by the numeral 10. The haycuber 10 comprises a frame 11, a hopper l2, and a bottomless gear assembly 13. The frame 11 may include a pair of rectilinear support beams 14 which may be held in suitable, parallelly disposed, relationship by means of crossties 15. The frame 11 provides a suitable chassis to carry the hopper l2 and the bottomless gear assembly 13. It is to be understood that, while a stationary haycuber 10 is shown in the FIG. 1, the frame 11 may be provided with suitable wheels and propelling coupler means as shown in FIG. 7 for illustrative purposes. In this further embodiment, the haycuber 10 is operable to cube hay standing in windrows in a field. The hopper 12 is operable to feed hay to the bottomless gear assembly 13, in a manner hereinafter described. In the further embodiment of the haycuber 10, it is to be understood that the hopper 12 may include hay pick up means, as shown for illustrative purposes in FIG. 8, operable to collect hay from windrows in a field and to feed bay to the bottomless gear assembly 13.

The bottomless gear assembly 13 includes an engine 16 and haycubing dies subassembly 17. The engine 16 provides driving force to the dies 17. The engine 16 may be of any of a variety of engine types, such as an 7 electric motor shown in the FIG. 1. The engine 16 is mounted to the frame 11 by means of commonly known engine mounts l8 and journal bearing pillow blocks 18'. As shown by the FIGS. 1 and 3, each of the haycubing dies 17 is disposed on respective shafts 19. The shafts 19 are mounted on the frame 11 by means of journal bearing pillow blocks 20. The engine 16 and one of the shafts 19 are connected by means of suitable drive means, such as an engine sprocket 21 fastened to the engine shaft 16', a die shaft sprocket 22 fastened to one of the sprocket shafts l9, and a suitable drive chain 23 operable to connect the sprocket 21 with the sprocket 22. In operation, one of the dies 17 is driven by the engine 16 through the sprockets 21 and 22, and the remaining die 17 is driven by the interaction of the dies 17, as shown in the FIG. 3.

Referring now to the FIGS. 2 and 3, the dies 17 resemble interlocking spur gears disposed on parallelly mounted shafts 19. Each of the dies 17 comprise a rim 24, a plurality of support rings 25, and a multiplicity of teeth 26. The rim 24 has a dishlike configuration which includes a convexly projecting center portion projected into the interior of the dies 17. The rim 24 is suitably fastened to the shaft 19. The rim 24 is operable to carry support rings 25 and the teeth 26. The rim 24 forms one of the terminal sidewalls of the dies 17. The incline walls of the convexly disposed central portion of the rim 24 are operable to direct material to the side opposite the terminal wall formed by the rim 24. A multiplicity of teeth 26 are fastened distally at intervals about the circumference of the rim 24. As shown in the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the teeth 26 project outwardly above the terminal edge of the circumference of the rim 24 to form a row of gear teeth 26 with a gear tooth void between each of the teeth 26. Referring again to the FIG. 2, a hollow-centered ring 25 is the fastened to the teeth 26 parallel to the outer circumference of the rim 24. A layer of teeth 26 is fastened to the ring 25 distally at intervals, alternating a tooth 26 of the second row with the interval void of the first row. This process may be followed in alternate layers of rings 25 and teeth 26 to produce a die 17 of suitable width. It is to be understood that the production capacity of the haycuber may be increased by increasing the width of the dies 17 or by increasing the number of dies 17 operable to interact with one another. It has been found to advantage to provide a plurality of web members 27 disposed transversely to the rim 24 and rings to provide support to the teeth 26.

Referring now to the FIG. 4, the transverse configuration of each of the teeth 26 is substantially rectangular. A tooth 26 may be conveniently divided into a lower dedendum portion 28 and an upper addendum portion 29. The dedendum portion 28 is operable to engage the tooth receiving interval formed by the support rings 25 and the web members 27. To'this end, it has been found to advantage to taper the fillet sides of each tooth 26 distally from its midpoint downwardly toward its terminal end to fit between the web members 27. The addendum portion 29 has a substantially convexly curved top land tooth profile. The curved configuration is operable to provide better material handling and gear mesh characteristics to the teeth 26. It has been found to advantage to provide the apex of the top land with a projecting material-ejector stub 30 which is operable to separate material from a tooth 26 as the tooth 26 passes out of the open interval of the dies 17, as set out above. A further embodiment of a typical tooth 26' includes a configuration of the addendum 29 which is more sharply pointed in the convexly curved tooth profile, as shown more clearly in the FIG. 5. The more sharply pointed configuration is operable to separate from hay material without the need of a ejector stub 30, described above, as the tooth 26 passes out of the tooth void of an opposing die 17.

Referring now to the FIGS. 1 and 3, hay is cubed by the haycuber 10 by disposing loose hay into the hopper l2 and feeding the hay between the dies 17. The dies 17 are set in rotation by the meshing of a tooth 26 of one die 17 with the void interval of another die 17.

Loose hay from the hopper 12 is compressed by this meshing of a tooth 26 into the void interval of a opposing die 17. It is to be understood that the compressive force developed by such interaction results in a highly compressed hay mass. Compressed hay material is forced through the intervals of the dies 17 in an extrusion-like manner to form a plurality of hay cubes 31, shown more clearly in the FIG. 6. As shown in the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it has been found to advantage to provide a feed exit means, such as an auger 34, on the interior of each of the dies 17. The auger 34 may be suitably fastened on the shaft 19 and be operable to force hay cubes 31 from the interior of the dies 17.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies the concepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes the various objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to to appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes could be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only to the extend indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A haycuber, comprising a frame including a pair of rectilinear support beams held in suitable, parallelly disposed, relationship by means of crossties;

a hopper operable to collect and feed hay material to said haycuber, said hopper being suitably mounted to said frame;

a bottomless gear assembly including an engine suitably mounted on said frame;

haycubing dies, said dies including a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth suitably fastened about the circumferance of a dish-like rim in spur gear-like fashion, said dies including a hollow-centered ring fastened to said teeth with the outer circumference of said ring parallel to said rim, said dies being mounted suitably, interlockingly, parallelly on shafts fastened respectively to the centers of said rims and said shafts being mounted on said frame on journal bearings, said engine being connected to one of said die shafts by drive means;

said'dies including a plurality of rows of teeth, said rows fastened in alternating fashion with a die tooth of one row fastened adjacent to a die tooth void of a another row; and

each of said teeth includes dedendam portion and an addendum portion, said dedendum portion having a substantially rectangular transverse configuration operable for mounting said tooth to said rim and said ring, each of said teeth including an addendum portion including a substantially convexly curved tooth profile.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frame is provided with wheels to permit convenient transporting of said haycuber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said hopper includes hay pick up means operable to collect hay from windrows and the like.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, including a materialejector stub fastened to the apex of the addendum top land operable to facilitate separation between said teeth as a tooth passes out of a die tooth void of said opposing die.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said dies includes a hay cube discharging auger provided about said die shaft on the interior of each of said dies, said auger being operable to force hay cubes from the interior of said dies. 

1. A haycuber, comprising a frame including a pair of rectilinear support beams held in suitable, parallelly disposed, relationship by means of crossties; a hopper operable to collect and feed hay material to said haycuber, said hopper being suitably mounted to said frame; a bottomless gear assembly including an engine suitably mounted on said frame; haycubing dies, said dies including a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth suitably fastened about the circumferance of a dish-like rim in spur gear-like fashion, said dies including a hollow-centered ring fastened to said teeth with the outer circumference of said ring parallel to said rim, said dies being mounted suitably, interlockingly, parallelly on shafts fastened respectively to the centers of said rims and said shafts being mounted on said frame on journal bearings, said engine being connected to one of said die shafts by drive means; said dies including a plurality of rows of teeth, said rows fastened in alternating fashion with a die tooth of one row fastened adjacent to a die tooth void of a another row; and each of said teeth includes dedendam portion and an addendum portion, said dedendum portion having a substantially rectangular transverse configuration operable for mounting said tooth to said rim and said ring, each of said teeth including an addendum portion including a substantially convexly curved tooth profile.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frame is provided with wheels to permit convenient transporting of said haycuber.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said hopper includes hay pick up means operable to collect hay from windrows and the like.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, including a material-ejector stub fastened to the apex of the addendum top land operable to facilitate separation between said teeth as a tooth passes out of a die tooth void of said opposing die.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said dies includes a hay cube discharging auger provided about said die shaft on the interior of each of said dies, said auger being operable to force hay cubes from the interior of said dies. 